Summary Box: Glaxo removes zinc from denture cream

ZINC NO MORE: GlaxoSmithKline is removing zinc from three varieties of denture cream, amid lawsuits claiming years of excessive use caused neurological damage and blood problems in consumers.

LAWSUITS LOOM: Several hundred lawsuits have been filed against makers of zinc-containing adhesives, alleging the companies did not warn consumers about the risks of their products.

NEW RESEARCH: In the last two years, several studies have shown that excessive zinc can cause dangerously low levels of copper in the body. The chemical is needed for healthy brain and nervous system functioning.